第531章

第531章apunctiliouspoliceofficial，feelingthepresenceofthebodyunseemlyinthecourtyardofhisexcellency，badethedragoonsdragthebodyawayintothestreet.twodragoonstookholdofthemutilatedlegs，anddrewthebodyaway.thedead，shavenhead，stainedwithbloodandgrimedwithdust，wastrailedalongtheground，rollingfromsidetosideonthelongneck.thecrowdshrankawayfromthecorpse.

whenvereshtchaginfell，andthecrowdwithasavageyellclosedinandheavedabouthim，rastoptchinsuddenlyturnedwhite，andinsteadofgoingtothebackentrance，wherehorseswereinwaitingforhim，hestroderapidlyalongthecorridorleadingtotheroomsofthelowerstory，lookingonthefloorandnotknowingwhereorwhyhewasgoing.thecount’sfacewaswhite，andhecouldnotcheckthefeverishtwitchingofhislowerjaw.

“yourexcellency，thisway…whereareyougoing？…thisway，”saidatrembling，frightenedvoicebehindhim.countrastoptchinwasincapableofmakinganyreply.obedientlyturning，hewentinthedirectionindicated.atthebackentrancestoodacarriage.thedistantroarofthehowlingmobcouldbeheardeventhere.countrastoptchinhurriedlygotintothecarriage，andbadethemdrivehimtohishouseatsokolnikybeyondthetown.ashedroveoutintomyasnitskystreetandlostthesoundoftheshoutsofthemob，thecountbegantorepent.hethoughtwithdissatisfactionnowoftheexcitementandterrorhehadbetrayedbeforehissubordinates.“thepopulaceisterrible，itishideous.theyarelikewolvesthatcanonlybeappeasedwithflesh，”hethought.“count！thereisonegodoverus！”vereshtchagin’swordssuddenlyrecurredtohim，andadisagreeablechillrandownhisback.butthatfeelingwasmomentary，andcountrastoptchinsmiledcontemptuouslyathimself.“ihadotherduties.thepeoplehadtobeappeased.manyothervictimshaveperishedandareperishingforthepublicgood，”hethought；andhebegantoreflectonthesocialdutieshehadtowardshisfamilyandtowardsthecityintrustedtohiscare；andonhimself—notasfyodorvassilyevitchrastoptchin（heassumedthatfyodorvassilyevitchrastoptchinwassacrificinghimselfforlebienpublique）—butasgovernorofmoscow，astherepresentativeofauthorityintrustedwithfullpowersbythetsar.“ifihadbeensimplyfyodorvassilyevitch，mycourseofactionmighthavebeenquitedifferent；butiwasboundtopreserveboththelifeandthedignityofthegovernor.”

lightlyswayedonthesoftspringsofthecarriage，andhearingnomoreofthefearfulsoundsofthemob，rastoptchinwasphysicallysoothed，andasisalwaysthecasesimultaneouslywithphysicalrelief，hisintellectsuppliedhimwithgroundsformoralcomfort.thethoughtthatreassuredrastoptchinwasnotanewone.eversincetheworldhasexistedandmenhavekilledoneanother，amanhasnevercommittedsuchacrimeagainsthisfellowwithoutconsolinghimselfwiththesameidea.thatideaislebienpublique，thesupposedpublicgoodofothers.

toamannotswayedbypassionthisgoodneverseemscertain；butamanwhohascommittedsuchacrimealwaysknowspositivelywherethatpublicgoodlies.andrastoptchinnowknewthis.

farfromreproachinghimselfinhismeditationsontheacthehadjustcommitted，hefoundgroundsforself-complacencyinhavingsoessfullymadeuseofanoccasionsoàproposforexecutingacriminal，andatthesametimesatisfyingthecrowd.“vereshtchaginhadbeentriedandcondemnedtothedeathpenalty，”rastoptchinreflected（thoughvereshtchaginhadonlybeencondemnedbythesenatetohardlabour）.“hewasaspyandatraitor；icouldnotlethimgounpunished，andsoihittwobirdswithonestone.iappeasedthemobbygivingthemavictim，andipunishedamiscreant.”

reachinghishouseinthesuburbs，thecountcompletelyregainedhiscomposureinarranginghisdomesticaffairs.